Illuminating device



Filed .May 9, 1952 2 Sheets-Shee'c l May`29, 1934. M, P. DUPLEssIslLLUMINATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 9, 1932 Patented May 29,1934 UNITED lSTATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

'I'his invention relates to improvements in lighting apparatus, and oneof the objects of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus ofthis character for producing white light, similar 5 to sunlight ornatural daylight to be employed as illumination to accentuate truecolors of articles, materials, merchandise, etc.

Heretofore it has been attempted to obviate the diillculty, in matchingcolors and in producing the l0 proper effect upon the eye of theobserver, as in man1,1 instances they do not appear the same underartificial light as by daylight, and various daylight lamps have beenemployed, in which, the colors have been modified by screens or reectorsto give the actual tint of daylight, but the use of screens orreflectors of this character diminishes the illuminating'power of thelamp, and less light is obtained for the same electrical energy.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to overcome thesedifficulties and objections, and to provide an improved lightingapparatus which will produce an even distribution of light, and at thesame time eliminate all shadows, and in which apparatus lamps of aplurality of spectrum colors, or primary colors are so arranged that thecolor rays will be superposed, or so mixed together, as to produce awhite light.

A further object is to provide an improved apparatus of this characterin which the lights are produced by means of tubes in which vapor gas isilluminated, such for instance as the well known neon tubes, and whichtubes are adapted to be revolved about a common axis, or, in astationary apparatus, the tubes may be intertwisted or intertwined as toproducea commingling or intermixture of the rays from the variouscolored lamps or tubes.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new anduseful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features ofnovelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangementof the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed andshown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention and inwhich Figure 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus of this characterconstructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical, sectional view taken on line 2 2, Figure 1, onan enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a view partly in elevation, partly in section and partlybroken away and with parts 55 omitted, of one end of the apparatus,showing one form of suitable non-arcing contact commutator for use inconnection'with the invention.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of another form of the invention.

Figure, 5 is a view partly in side elevation, partly in vertical sectionand partly broken away, of the form of the invention shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of another form of arrangement of lighttubes.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view taken on line 7 7, Figure 6.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and in the form of theinvention shown in Figures 1 to 3, the apparatus consists essentially inthe provision of a plurality of tubes 10 of any desired diameter andlength and 'in which tubes vapor gas is confined `and is illuminated. Ithas been found that the well known neon tubes are particularly adaptedfor use in connection with this invention, the tubes being securedby'their ends in heads 11, the heads being preferably connected togetherby means of a shaft 12 and which shaft is rotated by means of anordinary motor 13.

The tubes 10 are spaced from each other for any desired distance aboutthe shaft 12 and any number of tubes may be employed, according to thenumber of colors to be used.

It is preferable to employ a plurality of series of tubes which emanateany desired number of spectrum colors or primary colors alternatelyarranged and so positioned that the rays therefrom vwill be directedupon the object, article or surface to be illuminated, the tubes beingso arranged with respect to each other that the rays therefrom willcommingle and will be superposed upon the surface or object in a mannerto produce a white light, simulating daylight.

It has been found in practice that the colors blue, yellow and greenalternately arranged will produce the desired result, but it is to beunderstood that any of the spectrum colors or any of the primary colorsmay be used which when combined or intermingled will produce the effectdesired.

The electrodes 14 leading from the ends of the tubes may be connectedwith any suitable nonarcing device, one form of which suitable for thepurpose embodies a commutator 15 having a mercury contact for suchtubes, the commutator having a chamber 16 through which the shaft 12passes. A supplemental chamber 17 of any suitcientmercury, or anysuitable fluid lls the chamber 16 and partially lls the supplementalchamber 17. The positive side of the current supplied to the tubes isconnected to a contact 19 that projects into the supplemental chamber 17a suillcient distance so that the mercury will a1- ways contacttherewith and` the negative side 20 of the source of electrical supplybeing connected in a similar manner to a similar mercury contactcommutator at the other end of the tube.

With this form of contact it will be manifest that there will be insuredconstant contact between the terminals of the circuit and the shaft orrotary distributing element 12. Any expansion or contraction of themercury or fluid in the chambers 16 and 17 will always insure a contact,

and the circuit will be sealed at all times, as the weight of themercury or liquid will always press upon the rotary element 12.Furthermore this contact will prevent flashing of the circuit.

Obviously, there may be provided a plurality of sets of tubes arrangedend to end according to the extent or area which it is desired toilluminate.

With this construction it will be manifest that different colored lightrays emanating from the tubes 10 will radiate in all directions aboutthe axes of the tubes and when the tubes are rotated about the axis ofthe shaft 12 the light rays from the tubes will intersect each other inall directions and in such a manner that the combination of thedifferent colored light rays will produce the desired white light.

Furthermore, by the arrangement of the tubes in this manner and byrotating the same there will be an even distribution of the light, andat the same time all shadows will be eliminated.

If desired, the apparatus may b'e located within a housing 21 whichpartially encompasses the same and the housing may be formed in a mannertoV produce a plurality of surfaces 22 arranged at angles with respectto each other, the face of the surfaces 22 in proximity to the tubes maybe highly polished to constitute reflectors, or if desired, mirrors maybe employed for that purpose in lieu of the surfaces 22.

The housing 21 may constitute either the point of juncture between theceiling and wall of a room or show window or one of the upright wallsand the top of the show case, in which the apparatus may be installed.The apparatus is preferably securedin position by anchoring the supports18 by means of their base 23, to a support 24.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 4 and 5, the tubes 25 areof -a ll shaped configuration adapted to be arranged one within theother and disposed at diiferent angles with respect to each other, theends of the tubes being secured to a head 26, .which latter in turn issecured to a shaft- 27 rotated by a motor 28. The electrodes or contacts29 leading from the ends of the tubes are connected preferably to amercury contact commutator 30, similar to that shown in Figure 3, sothat when the head 26 and the tubes supported thereby are rotated, anelectrical contact will always be maintained.

In this form of the invention there is preferably provided a reflector31` which encompasses the tubes 25 and the reflector is secured to asupport 32 upon which a bracket 33 is preferably mounted and upon. whichbracket the motor 28 is arranged. This support 32 is preferablyconnected by means of a pivot or hinged joint 34 with the base orstandard 35, so that when desired, the support 32 may be moved about 6and 7, the tubes 36 are arranged in close proxits pivot 34 to vary theposition of the tubes 25 and reflector 31 with respect to the base orstandard.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures imity to each other and inthe production of the device are also arranged parallel. 'I'he tubes arethen twisted with respect to each other to form spirals37 which extendin a general direction lengthwise of the axis of the element, the tubesemanating the diiferent colored rays being alternately and properlyarranged with respect to each other before being twisted together.

The ends of the tubes are secured to heads 38, and to one end of theelement thus produced is connected the positive side 39 of the electriccurrent, and to the other end of the element is connected the negativeside 40 of the current.

In this form of the invention the tubes are preferably maintainedstationary, although they may be rotated, and to that end a portion ofthe heads 38 are reduced as at 4l to form trunnions or supports for theelement.

With this invention it will be manifest that the light rays will be socommingled that a large area will be illuminated and all shadows will beeliminated, and furthermore, by the arrangement of the tubes in themanner disclosed, the rotation of the tubes will not produce any flickeror halation.

While the preferred forms of the invention have been herein shown anddescribed, it is to A be understood that various changes may be made inthe details of construction and in the combination and arrangement ofthe several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departingfrom the spirit of this invention. It is also to be understood, thatwhile one form of mercury contact commutator has been herein shown anddescribed as being adapted for use with this invention, any othernon-arcing commutator device suitable for the purpose may be employed.

What is claimed as new isz- 1. Anilluminating device ofthe character de-Y scribed embodying a plurality of transparent tubes or chambers inwhich vapor gas is illuminated to produce spectrum colors individual tothe tubes, the rays from each tube radiating in all directions abouttheir respective axes, said tubes being arranged with respect to eachother that the rays therefrom will intersect each other in alldirections to produce a light simulating daylight and whereby clearlydefined spectrum or color lines will be avoided, means mounting .m saidtubes for rotation about a common axis parallel with the axes of thetubes and means for thus rotating the tubes.

2. An illuminating device of the character described embodying aplurality of transparent tubes in which vapor gas is illuminated toproduce various colors individual to the tubes, means for supporting thetubes bytheir extremities and constituting with said tubes a unitarystructure, means mounting said structure for rotation about an axisparallel with the axes of the tubes to cause the colored rays'from thevarious tubes to intersect each other in all directions about the axesof the tubes, to produce a white light simulating daylight, and meansfor., thus rotating the unit structure.

3. An illuminating device of the character described embodying aplurality of transparent tubes in which vapor gas is illuminated toproduce various colors individual to the tubes, means 1|.

for supporting the tubes by their extremities and constituting with saidtubes a unitary structure, means mounting said structure for rotationabout an axis extending in the general direction of the axes of thetubes to cause the colored rays from the various tubes to intersect eachother in all directions to produce a white light simulating daylight,means for thus rotating the unit structure, and reflectors disposedadjacent a portion of the path of movement of said tubes.

4. An illuminating device of the character described embodying aplurality of elongated transparent tubes in each of which a vapor gas isilluminated to produce a color individual to the tubes, said tubes beingtwisted together about and in a general direction extending lengthwiseof a common axis to constitute a unitary structure, and means mountingsaid structure for rotation about its longitudinal axis, the light raysradiating from the tubes in all directions about the axes of the tubes,and the rays from the tubes intersecting the rays from each other in alldirections.

5. An illuminating device of the character described embodying aplurality of elongated transparent tubes in which vapor gas isilluminated to produce various colors individual to the tubes. saidtubes being closely twisted together to cause each tube to extend aplurality of times about and in a general direction extending lengthwiseof a common axis to constitute a unitary structure, and means mountingsaid structure for rotation about its longitudinal axis, the rays fromthe tubes intersecting each other in all directions.

MILTON P. DUPLESSIS.

